Nyle Gordon shares what he loves about oil painting, and what he sees as the main value of working directly from life.

Spencer shares his thoughts on the value of plein air painting, why he enjoys teaching, and the importance of striking a balance between working and relationships in creative life.

From our earliest days of cracking open our first box of crayons, our color of choice for the sun was always yellow. But now as we try to capture that intense glow of the sun in our paintings, at best yellow falls flat, at worst looks garish.

Heartland Art Club wants to applaud our fabulous sponsor, ArtMart. We would like to recognize them for their generosity and dedication to the arts.

Sometimes an artist doesn’t want to just use what nature gives. The world is filled with infinite beauty and inspiration, but what do you do when you want to paint beyond a blue sky and green leaves?

Kathy Corey interviews Michael Halbert about his work, “St. Louis Imagined,” his artistic and creative process, and his advice for other artists.

The question that every artist hears at some point is “How long did it take you to paint this?” It can be a very complex question to answer.

Molly O’Brien Homes is a St. Louis real estate company that generously hosts our receptions at the Galleries at Heartland Art Club.

Kathy Corey interviews award-winning artist, Lisa Ober about her life as a client-based artist, her interesting career path, and her advice to young artists on what it takes to become a successful artist.

Composition and the ability to structure your work on a flat surface takes time and practice to learn and understand. Dennis Babbit recommends, “The Composition of Outdoor Painting,” by Edgar Payne.

Reclaim/Renew sponsors a parking space for gallery volunteers! Reclaim/Renew is a reclaimed barnwood furniture and cabinetry store in downtown Kirkwood. We would like to recognize them for their generosity and dedication to the arts.

Susan Rodgers reports on the 20th anniversary of Belleville, Illinois’ fabulous Art on the Square held on May 14, 15, and 16.

Since many of my paintings incorporate wildlife, I must frequently rely on quickly taken photos to capture the moment. Rarely, if ever, are these photos usable as stand-alone photos. Therefore, my reference photos serve as the initial inspiration only.

Grafica Fine Art & Framing is a Founding Member of Heartland and is sponsoring our 1st Place Award for the Membership Show in 2022. We would like to recognize them for their generosity and dedication to the arts.

Being an artist means learning to see the world through eyes of wonder. Like a child, an artist sees with fresh eyes, beholding beauty in the dandelion, enjoying the way the seeds fly away when you blow on that circle-of-seeds-on-a-stem.

Please take a few minutes to visit our new retail gift shop. You’ll find several wonderful and affordable items for sale!

Inspiration can come from anywhere and at any time. But rarely does our source of inspiration provide us with perfection.

Michele Wells was a pastel artist, teacher, and commercial electrician. She will be missed by many!